PARENTS & FAMILIES

Parents & Families

Did you know…
There’s a library in your community where you can borrow toys, educational materials, videos and books for parents and caregivers for FREE?
Announcing our Early Childhood Services Center Toy Lending & Resource Libraries in each of our Regional Hubs. Click here to find an ECSC Library near you!

Child Care in New Mexico

Child Care in our state is monitored by the Children, Youth, and Families Department. There are two paths to become a regulated (meaning background checks and building/environment inspections are performed) child care provider in NM. A home child care provider may become licensed or registered by the state. A child care center may be licensed by the state.

Licensed programs are assigned a star rating level according to our state Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System. Click here to find out more about the star levels. Click here to learn about the FOCUS program.

Other Early Learning options that are regulated by state or federal entities are Head Start/Early Head Start and NM PreK.

Verify that your in-home child care provider has been registered with CYFD.

Accidents and Incidents in NM Child Care Settings

Despite the best childproofing and safety efforts, childhood accidents sometimes happen. Child care providers are required to notify parents or guardians in writing of any incident, including notifiable illnesses that have threatened the health or safety of children in their care. They also must report to the Licensing Authority any fatality, or serious injury that require medical attention. An aggregate data report about reported serious injuries, substantiated child abuse and deaths in child care is available for your view.